Everyone needs a good 22 rifle. This has been
true since the beginning of time, even centuries before rifle
were invented. The need was there, realized or not. A good
twenty-two is one of the most under-appreciated firearms in
existence, because most folks just take them for granted. The 22
Long Rifle cartridge is the most-popular cartridge in the world,
and paired with a good rifle, can fill many roles as a fine
hunting, camping, and just all-around fun gun.

Shooters today have a wealth of dandy 22
rifles from which to choose, and can spend very little or a lot
of money on that rifle, but a rifle which I recently discovered,
but that has been around for a while, falls into the first
category, and is the subject of this review; The Mossberg 702
Plinkster. Mossberg has used the name Plinkster for various
rifles over the past few decades, but this new 702 is one of the
most-affordable and enjoyable 22 semi-automatic rifles on the
market.

I recently acquired two identical 702
Plinkster rifles. This is the version with the black synthetic
stock, and the reason I decided to give them a try was because
of the low price. As mentioned above, a person can spend a lot
of money on a good 22 rifle, if desired, but for some people,
many rifles are just priced out of their budget. The Mossberg
Plinkster shown here has a suggested retail price of only $133
US, as of the date of this review, but they usually sell from
between $100 and $120 retail. That is cheap! For that reason, I
wanted to see just how good of a rifle could be had for a
hundred bucks, and not being one to pass up a good deal, I
ordered two of them.

The 702 falls under the Mossberg
International banner, and is made in brazil for Mossberg. It is
available in a Bantam model for youngsters and smaller shooters
with a thirteen-inch length-of-pull, or full-sized with a
fourteen and one-quarter inch length-of-pull. Both models are
listed as weighing in at four pounds, but the one shown here
weighed only three and three-quarters pounds on my scale, making
for an exceptionally lightweight, handy rifle that is
comfortable to carry all day.

The 702 is available with a wood stock, or
synthetic stocks in a choice of black or pink finish. I opted
for the black, and all variations have a blued metal finish. The
tapered barrel measures eighteen inches in length, and the rifle
has an overall length of thirty-seven inches. The magazine holds
ten rounds, and is made of blued steel. A twenty-five-round
magazine is also available, but I prefer the compact size of the
ten-round version. The magazine follower serves to hold the bolt
open when the magazine is empty. The bolt can also be locked
into the open position by pressing inward on the retracted
charging handle. The safety is a crossbolt trigger-blocking
style, pushing from right-to-left to fire. The trigger pull is
surprisingly good on this inexpensive rifle, weighing in at just
under four pounds resistance on my digital scale.

I
tested the 702 with several brands of 22 Long Rifle ammunition
for velocity and function. The results with each brand and type
of ammunition are listed in the chart below. HP is a lead
hollowpoint bullet. Solid is a lead roundnose bullet. TC is a
truncated cone solid. Velocity readings were taken at an
elevation of 541 feet above sea level, with an air temperature
of 47 degrees Fahrenheit, with humidity in the sixty-five
percent range. Velocities are listed in feet-per-second (FPS),
and were recorded twelve feet from the muzzle of the rifle.
Bullet weights are listed in grains.

Ammunition

Bullet Weight

Velocity

Federal Bulk HP

36

1254

Winchester DynaPoint HP

40

1179

PMC Match Solid

40

1045

Wolf Match Solid

40

1051

CCI Mini-Mag HP

36

1257

CCI Mini-Mag Solid

40

1245

CCI Velocitor HP

40

1391

Remington Yellow Jacket HP

33

1414

Remington Hi-Speed Solid

40

1222

Remington Bulk HP

36

1217

Remington Viper TC

36

1271

Norma Tac-22 Solid

40

917

American Eagle HP

36

1136

PMC Zapper HP

38

1223

Olin Solid

40

1029

Winchester XPert HP

36

1167

Hansen Solid

40

1097

CCI Blazer Solid

40

1256

CCI Stinger HP

32

1555

CCI Sub-Sonic

40

710

Right
from the start, I experienced several failures-to-fire. The
firing pin dents were light on the cartridges, but this cleared
up after two magazines full of ammo. Looks like there was an
excessive amount of oil around the firing pin, effectively
cushioning the blow. Within twenty rounds, this was gone, and
the 702 Plinkster functioned flawlessly thereafter, firing
hundreds of rounds without fail. Every cartridge, using the many
types listed in the chart above, fed, fired, and ejected
perfectly. The bolt always locked open on an empty magazine.

Accuracy
testing was conducted at fifty yards using several types of 22
LR ammo. Accuracy was outstanding; much better than expected
from such an inexpensive rifle. I fired five-shot groups on
target, with the aid of a Burris 6 to 18 power target scope and
a Target Shooting, Inc. Model 500 rifle
rest. The top of the receiver is grooved for tip-off style
rimfire rings, making the mounting of a scope quick and easy.
Groups measured from one-half to one and three-quarters inches,
center-to-center of the widest-apart shots in each group. Some
of the best-performing loads are pictured here. No group fired
all day exceeded 1.75 inches. Perfect.

Removing
the scope, I also fired many mags full of ammo through the rifle
using the excellent open sights, which consist of an adjustable
fiber-optic rear with a hooded fiber-optic front. The rear sight
has windage and elevation knobs, for easy adjustments without
tools. A welcome feature, and certainly not expected on a rifle
in this price range.The
trigger, while light in resistance, had a bit of travel before
releasing, but was easy to use and effective for realizing the
accuracy potential of the Plinkster.

The
Mossberg 702 Plinkster is a dandy 22 rifle at an exceptional
price. It is lightweight, handy, reliable, and accurate. The 702
would be a bargain at twice the price, but instead, I just
bought two rifles.

Check
out the extensive selection of rifles, shotguns, pistols, and
accessories online at www.mossberg.com.

To find a Mossberg dealer near you, click on the DEALER FINDER atwww.lipseys.com.